Wednesday, May 30, 2007

The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the LORD. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the LORD. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten." - Leviticus 25:1-7

Would you imagine that modern-day Jews find it possible to adhere to this scripture? Well, wonder no more. Jameel @ the Muqata explains how they handle Matters of Lettuce, Life, and Death.

Pretty darn fascinating, if you ask me. I can't wait for Jameel's posting on the Year of Jubilee described in the rest of Leviticus 25. Wonder when the next one is?

7 comments:

That is interesting. It is amazing how good they are at farming. Sometimes Chutzpah will out.Is there any type of grass that grows fast enough to allow the land to be rented for pasture every seven years? Here's a question. Technically the land reverts to the clan to whom it was assigned at the conquest of Canaan every sabbatical year. How does one tell if one is farming the right land after all this time? The records aren't that good, and they are scattered in any case.

Pro 23:10 Do not move the ancient boundary Or go into the fields of the fatherless, Pro 23:11 For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their case against you.

Apparently they did have boundary marks, perhaps large rocks, and they could be removed, but the owner would notice it immediately. I am guessing that is why the condemnation of boundary removing. The orphans would not be strong enough to do anything about it, but God certainly could.

Survey methods may have been better than you think._________________________

It was probably well enough when it was actually being worked by Jews. Local tradition is more or less satisfying for that purpose(even though the rather tidy British didn't think so when they were judging similar situations during the days of the Empire). Moreover there were probably enough local written records to suppliment it. However for a long time it was either worked goyim or went to pot(the second was actually quite common and was actually the reason they were allowed back-the Sultan wanted the area to produce and was willing to take the political risk for it), and in the meantime all the records belonged to the Diaspora. They are famous for keeping good records being a bookish people and all-maybe that's why I like them, they remind me of me. However the wear and tear of exile takes a toll and it is meaningless adulation not to recognize that.

Another interesting complication. A lot of the originally aloted land is still worked by goyim. And much isn't even under the political authority of the State of Israel.Then to, the twelve(actually thirteen, but we call them twelve)tribes have been defunct for a long time and there is just one tribe composed of those generally accepted to be members.